There’s no doubt that the sports betting industry has exploded in recent times, with bookmakers more than happy to release more and more markets to punters. Something else that has aided the growth of the industry is undoubtedly the number of large international tournaments – with these renowned as being big earners for all of the bookies.

Following on from the above, here are some of the most popular international tournaments that attract plenty of betting activity.

Ryder Cup

With the 2012 Ryder Cup just around to the corner, it appears only fitting to make a start with this tournament. While golf might not be everyone’s cup of tea, many take to the betting shops around the Ryder Cup due to the whole excitement around the tournament. It’s one of the only times on the golfing calendar where people can be patriotic about the sport and this usually means plenty of simple bets being wagered on either Europe or the USA to triumph. Of course, the bookmakers have opened the market even more for the more seasoned gamblers and it is possible to bet hole-by-hole or by the number of holes certain players will win by. Some bookmakers have gone even further, allowing punters to predict who will sink the winning put on the final day for example.

Wimbledon

It’s no secret that tennis is one of the best sports to bet on as there are simply so many markets that one can become involved in. With Wimbledon being one of the more popular Grand Slam tournaments, it’s no surprise to see the bookmakers receive an influx of bonus bets while the competition is being played out. It’s possible to bet on even more markets than the golf, with bookies generally providing their punters with the ability to bet on anything ranging from individual games to how many aces will be recorded in a match.

Rugby League World Cup

There’s no doubt that the upcoming Rugby League World Cup will entice lots of gambling action, and probably much more interest than the sport is used to. It would be fair to say that rugby league sits behind rugby union in terms of popularity – with both hardly being favourites on the betting scene. However, with the 2013 event set to be hosted in England and Wales, this could certainly change and make the tournament a very good earner for the bookmakers.

Football World Cup

While the next major football tournament is not going to be held for another couple of years, there’s no doubt that the World Cup will evoke some huge bets from punters. Even those that are usually not interested in football often make a trip to the bookies, whether this is to place a bet on their country or gamble on an accumulator which could even net them millions of pounds if it pulls off. As you would expect with football, there are a whole host of different markets available ranging from a basic score prediction to the number of corners in a match.

Commonwealth Games

Now that the Olympics are over, athletics fans are waiting for the Commonwealth Games which will occur in Glasgow in 2014. Out of all of the major international tournaments, it could be argued that athletics captures the attention of the general public the most and this obviously works in favour of the bookmakers. Admittedly, not every country in the world will be competing in the Commonwealth Games, but bookies will still be expecting to maximise their profits as punters bid to explore the range of markets that will be on offer for the event.

Liam works as an online sports writer and loves finding the best betting bonus to help him even up the odds with the bookmakers. Compare the best betting offers when having a flutter to improve your chances.